colonial beach VFW

Quick Question. Should have brought this up a couple weeks ago, but forgot and some recent coversations with friends have brought it up.
I was in colonia beach fishing a couple weeks ago, OC'ing of course. I had been fishing for 4 hours and it was mid day and i was starting to get hot, i noticed a VFW down the road, and me as an active duty service member decided to go have a beer adn cool off then head back fishing again. I walked in the bar and immediately was told that i could not carry a gun into the establishment and that i would have to leave. I asked why i was not allowed to carry in here and was told that this a a private club and you can not carry in here. Well i didnt wont to ruin my fishing trip by getting involved with law enforcement, so i went to seafood restraunt beside it and had a beer and then continued fishing. Now it was not the bartender that told me this, just one of the customers, but the bartender did not correct it nor did anyone else. I have been to several VFWs in other states where i have carried in and know many people that carry in VFWs. So my question is, can a VFW post make its own policies or was i played a fool by the local community?

It's a private club, they can make their own rules...

Roscoe

roscoe13 said:

It's a private club, they can make their own rules...

Roscoe

Click to expand...

ok thanks.

Private clubs are certainly allowed to make their own rules, but joe schmo customer is not authorized to require you to leave.

Not saying you were wrong to do so, but how do you know he wasn't just some anti-gun schmuck?

One of the things that we toss around here once in a while, but is more appropriately used only when you are talking to someone who is actually in a position of authority, is the simple question, "What are you asking me to do?"

That puts the onus on them to step up to the plate and demand that you take some action that you were not already inclined to do.

In this case, for joe schmo, I probably would have replied with questions regarding his authority to make or enforce policy, and then acted appropriately after that.

TFred

ETA: Don't forget, Colonial Beach has several establishments that are built out over the river, and as such, they are in the state of Maryland. Unfortunately, that entire area has had much bad influence because of this... IMHO, CB is not really representative of Virginia, much less rural Virginia, at all.

Unfortunately, many VFW posts do have that policy in place. In Dale City, the VFW that sponsors the regular gun show will not allow carry in its members-only facility (which is why I haven't moved my membership to that post).

I don't know how to get VFW leadership to understand why we served, but they certainly do not recognize individual rights guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment.

While Googling for more information this thread in the Washington State forum popped up.

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?114626-Bellingham-VFW-definitely-unfriendly

TFred

ETA: Well, that thread diverged rather obnoxiously into a property rights debate... but I guess the take-away is that apparently it's a common policy with the VFW. Quite sad.

Great information. I will remember this next time I am approached by a random civilian.